Bill
H 4542
The bill abolishes the Horry County Police Commission effective June 30, 2026, repealing Act 21 of 1959.
Status: Referred to Horry Delegation (introduced 05/08/2025; additional actions recorded 09/18/2025–09/22/2025)
Introduced: 05/08/2025 (filed language repeats on 09/18/2025)
Primary effect: Abolishes the Horry County Police Commission; effective date June 30, 2026
Note on source text
- The bill file provided contains duplicated/inserted material from an unrelated Massachusetts city charter (City of Chicopee). That text appears to be extraneous to the Horry County measure. The operative provisions for Horry County are the South Carolina-format language (filed 05/08/2025) that expressly repeals Act 21 of 1959 and abolishes the Horry County Police Commission.
Purpose and intent
- The bill repeals Act 21 of 1959, as amended, thereby abolishing the statutory entity known as the Horry County Police Commission. The stated timing places abolition on June 30, 2026.
Key provisions
- SECTION 1: Repeals Act 21 of 1959, as amended (the statute establishing/authorizing the Horry County Police Commission).
- Immediate legal effect on the effective date: the Horry County Police Commission is abolished.
- SECTION 2: Specifies the effective date — June 30, 2026.
Who would be affected
- Horry County residents and communities served by the Horry County Police.
- Members of the Horry County Police Commission (current and future appointees) — the commission would cease to exist.
- Horry County law enforcement personnel and administrators — oversight, governance, and any administrative responsibilities currently vested in the commission will be affected.
- County government and other state/local oversight bodies potentially responsible for receiving transferred duties, assets, liabilities, personnel or contracting authority formerly held by the commission.
Potential impacts and implementation issues
- The bill abolishes the commission but does not include explicit transition, asset-transfer, workforce, or oversight replacement provisions in the text provided. Key questions for implementation include:
- Where statutory responsibilities, contracts, budgets, assets, oversight functions, and personnel will be transferred (e.g., county council, sheriff, county administration, or state agencies).
- How ongoing disciplinary, budgetary, and operational matters will be handled during and after the transition.
- Any required local ordinances or administrative plans to effectuate the abolition without service disruption.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Introduced and read first time 05/08/2025 and referred to the Horry Delegation.
- Later actions recorded on 09/18/2025 (substitution and engrossment) and 09/22/2025 (rules suspended, second reading, ordered to third reading). Check legislative clerk or official journal for current status and any amendments.
Recommendation
- Review related county and state laws (including Act 21 of 1959 and current county codes) and any companion or implementing legislation to determine how the duties and obligations of the commission will be reassigned and how employee/contract issues will be handled.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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